10 Ways to Become More Valuable to your Wholesale Customers

Partner up with your galleries to help them sell your work, and you will become very important to them. Here are some suggestions to make yourself and your line indispensable.

Make an in-person appearance at the store. Trunk shows and artist appearances are wonderful ways to create buzz and even show new merchandise to customers. Send invitations to your list and theirs to get as many customers in the store as possible.

Create press releases and press kits for stores to use to promote your line. This service saves time and effort for the store owner, and paves the way for press exposure for both of you. A win/win arrangement.

Provide “glamour photos” of your work. These may end up in advertisements for the store, postcards and magazine articles. You can never have (or share) too many beautiful shots of your art.

Make follow up phone calls to the press. The more you help your retailers get press, the more valuable you are to them. So place calls after you have made the initial contact to capture as much press attention as possible.

List your galleries on your website. Drive all the business you can to your retailers. Any customers in their area should be shopping for you work at their stores. They will appreciate the referral business!

Place your signature on your work – and a Certificate of Authenticity too. This adds value for the end consumer and is a good selling point for the retailer.

Use great hang tags and care instructions. The more information you share about your creative work, the easier it is to make the sale. Your careful preparation in creating effective hang tags, product information, etc. will pay off in more sales.

Print catalog or line sheets without prices. This enables your retailers to take special orders for your work without revealing their cost.

Provide blank postcards for the store’s use. Postcards are an easy way to share photos of your line that can bring customers in the door.

Send selling tips for their staff with your orders. Share information about yourself and your work, and the benefits for customers, so that the gallery staff can help present your work in the best possible light. They will appreciate your efforts in helping them make the sale!

Comments

As a former retail designer, I know my work is original and unique. It sells very well in the two juried shows I do each year for the past three. my weakness is the business end and have no real knowledge how to set up these commercial accounts. I know they will sell very well in the right sun filled windows of galleries and high end shops.